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Nina Davuluri Looks Back at Her Year as Miss America 2014

Source: NBC News

Nina Davuluri made history last year as the first Indian American to win the Miss America pageant. Born in Syracuse, New York, the daughter of Indian immigrants, Davuluri beat out 52 contestants for the 2014 title with a Bollywood-inspired dance performance and a platform of "Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency." Though her win was marred with an online barrage of racist tweets and social comments -- questioning Davuluri's American identity and incorrectly calling her Arab and Muslim -- the 24-year-old met her first challenge wearing the crown with grace and aplomb, rising above fray and focusing on her year ahead.

As she prepares to hand over that crown at the Miss America 2015 pageant this weekend, Davuluri looks back at what she was able to accomplish in the last year, and hints at what could be ahead. Below, five things to know about Nina Davuluri before she adds "former" to her title.


1. She doesn't actually remember the most memorable moment of her Miss America pageant.Before she was even named the winner, Davuluri seemed to know the significance ahead as she stood with fellow contestant and finalist Miss California, Crystal Lee. At the time, she said "We're both so proud. We're making history right here, standing as Asian Americans." But as she thinks back to "The Moment" -- as her name was called, as a sea of faces celebrated her, as the crown was placed on her head? "I honestly don't remember the actual crowning moment," said Davuluri. "It was such a blur!"
"Unfortunately, I was prepared," said Davuluri. "However, I can honestly say that for every one negative tweet, comment, or post, there were hundreds if not thousands of people who had positive words of encouragement and support all across the country and world for that matter."

2. Davuluri wasn't completely surprised by the torrent of negative tweets and nasty social media comments following her win.


3. She won the title by celebrating, not playing down, her Indian heritage, with the hope of sending a message to other young, minority women. 
"I came into this organization wanting to change the face of who Miss America was," said Davuluri. "It was so timely for this organization to finally reach out to a new demographic of young women that is representative of America today. I hope this encourages young women to embrace their ethnicities and cultural heritage."

4. Born and raised in New York, Davuluri spent two early years of her life in India, and believes finding balance between both cultures is a lifelong process.
"I'm very blessed to have a family that was always supportive and encouraging of my dreams," said Davuluri. "The biggest thing I've learned through this experience is that assimilation has to happen from both sides. It has been a constantly evoloving journey in my household."


5. She once had designs on becoming a doctor, but now plans on pursuing her MBA. Her advice for the next woman to wear the crown?
"I will always say that becoming Miss America was something I have worked for my entire life," said Davuluri. "My biggest advice is to know who you are, love who you are, and stand up for who you are."

Miss America contestants arrive in Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY(AP) — Miss America is back in Atlantic City, just in time to brighten the mood in this dazed gambling city licking its wounds from the closure of a third of its casinos. The 53 contestants met the public Wednesday afternoon on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Entrants from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands appeared at the traditional welcoming ceremony across from Boardwalk Hall.

Preliminary competition will begin next Tuesday. This is the second year that the pageant, which began in Atlantic City, has returned to its roots after six years in Las Vegas. The ceremony came hours after the first of 5,000 casino workers who lost their jobs over the holiday weekend began filing for unemployment, health insurance and food stamps. The Showboast and Revel shut down over the weekend; Trump Plaza, next door to Boardwalk Hall, where the winner will be crowned Sept. 14, is shutting down two days after that. And the Atlantic Club closed in January. All told, about 8,000 workers will have lost their jobs.

"I look at Miss America as the jewel in the crown of Atlantic City," said Sam Haskell, CEO of the Miss America Organization. "My heart breaks for the people losing their jobs. But I am confident that the economic boost Miss America brings to Atlantic City will create some calm to sooth the disappointment of these closures." John Palmieri, executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, said at the ceremony that Miss America should generate about $30 million worth of economic activity in the region.

Fresh off a visit to the White House a day earlier, where they met with some of President Barack Obama's advisers, the contestants crossed the Boardwalk and walked onto a stage where they signed a map of their home state, introduced themselves and detailed their career plans. Among the would-be Miss Americas are aspiring doctors, veterinarians, meteorologists, broadcast journalists, music therapists and a future sports agent. As usual, Miss New Jersey got the loudest cheers from the hometown crowd. Cierra Kaler-Jones said she's excited to represent her state, given her family ties to Atlantic City. "As the child of two casino workers," she said, "it is historic for me to be participating in this."

Family experience with pageants helps many Miss America contestants

By DEVIN LORING Staff Writer

Five minutes before Miss Nevada Ellie Smith was crowned, her younger sister and best friend, Amy Smith, 15, was crowned Miss Nevada Outstanding Teen. “When she won I think I was crying harder than she was,” Ellie Smith said. She is the youngest Miss America 2014 contestant at 17-years-old. “I was on the other side of the stage freaking out. I run over to her, give her a hug, and then right in my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh, what if I don’t win?’” Fortunately, it worked out for the Smith sisters. Ellie was crowned immediately after Amy, whose turn it was to freak out.

“It was the best night of our lives by far,” Ellie Smith said. “Just such a magical moment to be able to share that with my sister, my best friend, and now to be able to share a whole year with her is really, really, truly great.” While Ellie Smith paved the way into pageantry ahead of her sister, many of this year’s Miss America contestants follow in family members’ footsteps. Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray, 22, has two older sisters who inspired her to pursue a crown. They both competed in the MAO at local and state levels, but Murray is the only one in her family to win the title of Miss Mississippi.

Still, she said, she couldn’t have won it without her sisters’ direction and good example. Miss Maryland Jade Kenny competed for Miss Maryland three times before she won the title. Likewise, her mother competed for the state title when she was 17 years old, and won the preliminary swimsuit award. A fact, Kenny said, her mother has on occasion, “rubbed in her face.” “It’s kind of funny because my first two years I never won swimsuit, and she won swimsuit. She would always kind of rub that in my face like, ‘Your momma’s still got it,’” Kenny joked. “So I definitely pushed through so I could win the swimsuit preliminary my third year.”
Although her mother may have goaded her a bit while she was competing, Kenny said her mother never pushed her to do pageants. The 23-year-old found the hobby independently. When she was 13 years old, Kenny said, she had trouble grieving the loss of her best friend and grandparents. When a guidance counselor told her to develop a thicker skin, she was furious.

“I found the Rainbows Organization and it helped me through a very difficult time,” Kenny said. “Ever since then I needed to make sure that no child is ever told to get over something like that.” Pageantry, she said, gave her a “microphone” to support the Rainbows Organization. On the road to Miss America, Kenny’s platform is Healing the Hurt, Restoring the Hope – the Rainbows Organization. Kenny said competing in her mother’s footsteps and finally winning Miss Maryland is kind of like a relay race, “We’ve finally hit that mark,” she said. Although Miss Hawaii Stephanie Steuri’s mother was Miss Maui 1977, her parents were not immediately onboard with her participation in pageants, Steuri said. They were worried she was sacrificing the years she had dedicated to her education.

“That local title was my chance to show them that I can do both, I can be that beauty and brains figure,” Steuri said. “I can continue my education with a title in the Miss America system and earn scholarship money.” After winning a local title, Miss Paradise Kauai, and continuing on to compete in Miss Hawaii, Stueri said her mother’s attitude toward pageants shifted. “She was super-excited, almost living vicariously through me,” Stueri joked. “She was just so excited that I had grown so much as a person both academically and as a woman.” Three of the women received valuable advice from their predecessors, “be yourself,” while Smith had some advice for her younger sister. “If you believe you can do it, you can do it,” Smith said.

Miss America Nina Davuluri visits NJ children's hospital

Source: New Jersey 12News

NEW BRUNSWICK - Children in a New Jersey hospital got a special visit from a celebrity bearing an icy treat today. Miss America Nina Davuluri was at PSE&G Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick visiting patients and handing out Dairy Queen Blizzards.

At least $1 from each blizzard sold at many Dairy Queens in northern and central New Jersey on Thursday are being donated to Children's Miracle Network, which supports the New Brunswick hospital.

"Oftentimes when I walk into a room, the children don't necessarily know who I am or what I am," Davuluri says. "But all they see is that a princess has walked into the room for a day. So to take their mind off their treatments that they're going through even for just a few minutes is one of the best parts of my job."

Davuluri is making her final few appearances with the national title. A new Miss America will be crowned next month.

Miss America Goes to Washington

by Alan Neuhauser

Call it a meeting of the old and the beautiful.

Members of Congress and Education Secretary Arne Duncan met with Miss America Nina Davuluri this week to talk science, technology, engineering and math education. The Miss America Foundation and Davuluri – herself a science grad from the University of Michigan – have made STEM learning one of their platforms. When the annual pageant returns in September, it will for the second time offer a range of STEM scholarships to its contestants. 

“Sixty percent of the contestants on the Miss America stage were involved in STEM-related fields: PT school, PA school, engineers,” she says, referring to schools for physical therapists and physicians assistants. “If you enter in this organization, you walk away with some form of scholarship money.” Davuluri began competing in beauty pageants to pay for college, she says. Having been named Miss Michigan’s Outstanding Teen in 2006, Miss Syracuse and Miss New York in 2013, and Miss America last September, she’s won about $92,000 – allowing her, with help from her parents, to graduate debt-free.

“I had no means to pay for school aside from student loans, so I started competing,” Davuluri tells U.S. News during an interview on Capitol Hill. “This is not the only way to earn a scholarship and it’s not for everyone. This is a creative way to do it.” Schools and employers have long struggled to attract women and minorities. While women made up more than half of the country’s college-educated workers in 2010, for example, they comprised only 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce, the National Science Board found earlier this year. Meanwhile, blacks, Latinos, American Indians and Alaskan Natives accounted for just 10 percent of science and engineering workers. Asians made up 19 percent. Davuluri, who is Indian-American and the daughter of a physician father and computer-programmer mother, declined to speculate how discrimination and social pressures may discourage women from entering those fields.

“I can’t say I know one particular case,” she tells U.S. News, adding, “I never experienced anything in terms of not being encouraged to go into a STEM field.” She suggested, though, that students, guidance counselors, parents and lawmakers could look more broadly at what a science or technology job might encompass. “Thinking outside the box of what STEM is is something that I’ve been really trying to encourage this year,” she says. Davuluri pointed to her visit to a cosmetics factory, where she learned to make her own lip gloss. “I think a lot of times, we are in those confines of engineer, computer programmer,” she says. “Oftentimes young girls can’t think outside the box of what STEM is.” And that goes for tuition, too: “The cost of a higher education is astronomically expensive,” she says. Paying for it, she continues, “doesn’t have to be what you think might be the normal way.”

Ex-Miss Delaware Fights to Win Title Back, Compete in Miss America Pageant

by REBECCA MACATEE

Beauty pageants aren't always pretty—just ask former Miss Delaware 2014 Amanda Longacre! The 24-year-old was stripped of her title Tuesday when pageant officials determined she was too old to compete in the pageant (The Miss America Organization has a rule stating that contestants must be 17 to 24 years old, and Amanda will turn 25 in October.)

First runner-up Brittany Lewis, 24, was crowned Miss Delaware Thursday, and will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant on Sept. 14. And while Amanda has learned she will get to keep the $9,000 in scholarship money she originally won (this amount will also be awarded to Brittany), she appeared on Today Monday and told Savannah Guthrie she wants "the title I rightfully won" back.

VIDEO: Ex-Miss Delaware tearfully breaks down on Today over lost title
"I am Miss Delaware. I was nothing but honest from the beginning. I did not know that rule, I did not know that rule at all, and they reiterated to me since they beginning that I was eligible to compete," she said. "I asked from the beginning, 'Am I eligible?' They said yes, they signed off on my contract, they had my birth certificate. I gave them everything." Her lawyer explained to Today, "What we want is to see Amanda compete at Miss America and serve as Miss Delaware, and to our mind, that's what's fair. If we have to sue to do it, we will, but our goal really here is that she be allowed to enjoy the title that she's earned."

Miss Florida pageant crowns wrong woman after scoring error

BY AYANA STEWARTMIAMIHERALD.COM

After Elizabeth Fechtel was crowned Miss Florida 2014 on Saturday, sorority sisters gushed on social media. Several news outlets interviewed the Leesburg native. Fechtel called the pageant life-changing, saying she was “privileged and thrilled to have become Miss Florida.” The excitement was short-lived. Late Thursday, pageant officials visited Fechtel to inform her of a massive error: The crown should’ve gone to the first runner-up instead. The Miami-based organization released a press release Friday saying that a tabulation mistake resulted in the title being awarded to Fechtel instead of runner-up Victoria Cowen. Fechtel planned to take a year off from her studies at the University of Florida to prepare for the Miss America Pageant, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The university shared a congratulatory message on Twitter and sent out a press release. By Friday evening, the statement was updated to reflect the pageant error. But the Miss Florida website still showed Fechtel next to a sparkling “Miss Florida” graphic. Florida isn’t the only state making news for pageant blunders. Amanda Longacre, Miss Delaware, had her title revoked Tuesday because she turns 25 in October, which violates Miss America rules. Participants cannot turn 25 before the end of 2014. While Longacre will reportedly keep the $9,000 in scholarship money she received with the crown, the Tampa Bay Times reports that Fechtel will have to give her scholarship winnings to Cowen. The national pageant will be held in Atlantic City, N.J. Calls to the pageant’s president and executive director Mary E. Sullivan weren't returned as of Friday afternoon. Late Friday, the Miss America organization shared a headshot of Cowen on its Facebook page and congratulated her on her new title.

“We thank Elizabeth Fechtel and wish her the very best,” the post adds. Further down, there’s a post with nearly 3,000 likes from earlier in the week — a smiling portrait of Fechtel. The caption reads, “Congratulations to Elizabeth Fechtel on being crowned Miss Florida 2014!”

2014 Miss Indiana Crowning: The Greatest Winning Reaction.. Ever!

Source:  http://www.thepageantplanet.com/

There have been many great pageant reactions out there, and we’ve even counted down some of the best reactions.  Audra Casterline, however, not only took away the 2014 Miss Indiana crown, but she even took away my opinion of the best winning reaction.  Now, I can’t quite tell what her initial reaction was to hearing her being named the winner, but it definitely is a big mix of shock, disbelief, and an overwhelming feeling joy.  I really look forward to seeing her year and what she brings to Miss America as Miss Indiana.  For now, let’s reminisce over this beautiful moment.  Check it out below!

Karlie Major crowned Miss Utah 2014 Saturday night

By Jackie Hicken, Deseret News

Miss Cache Valley Karlie Major traded in her old title and will now spend the next year promoting her platform — Get Real: Embracing a Positive Body Image Through Media Smarts — across the state after she was crowned Miss Utah 2014 at Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City Saturday.

It's a task and a platform she's excited to bring to the national stage as she represents Utah at the Miss America competition in Atlantic City in September. "There hasn't been a platform yet at Miss America that is promoting and educating and empowering youth in media literacy," Major said Saturday. "This is such a relevant issue." As Miss Utah 2014, Major will also act as an ambassador for the Miss America Organization's national platform, the Children's Miracle Network. During Saturday's competition, 10 finalists were chosen from 48 titleholders based on preliminary scores from Wednesday, Thursday and Friday competition. The finalists were Bailey Johnson, Miss Davis County; Kelby Tyler, Miss Pioneer Valley; Lauren Wilson, Miss Pleasant Grove; Mallory Rogers, Miss Panoramaland; McKenna King, Miss Wasatch County; Sasha Heaps, Miss Provo; Kira Hannemann, Miss Northern Utah County; Chelsi Lukens, Miss Legacy; Abbey Eyre, Miss UVU and Major.

Lukens was named the fourth runner-up and took home a $600 scholarship. Heaps was named the third runner-up and received an $800 scholarship. Wilson, the second runner-up, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship and Eyre, as first runner-up, received a $3,000 scholarship. As the new Miss Utah, Major was awarded a $10,000 scholarship. Other awards given Saturday night included the 2014 Children's Miracle Network Miracle Maker Award, which went to Miss Roy Brittni Strickland, who raised more than $6,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. The Miss America scholastic award went to Miss Pioneer Valley Kelby Tyler, while the Miss America service award went to Miss Lehi Dania Rice. Tyler also received the Sadie Huish Memorial Scholarship during an earlier night of competition. Additional awards included the Spirit of Miss Utah award, which is voted on by the contestants and went to Miss Pacific Islander Whitney Matagi, and the Glenn Harman Instrumental Music Awards, which went to Miss Utah County Hannah Harkness and Miss Garfield County Baylee Palmer.

This year, the Miss Utah Organization partnered with the non-profit charity organization Dando Amor and participated in their "Shoes for Love" program, collecting more than 70,000 pairs of shoes for children in Ecuador, Africa and Haiti. The new Miss Utah Karlie Major and Miss Draper Kelsey Blaser were honored for their work in collecting the most shoes out of the 48 contestants. During the first night of competition Wednesday, Lukens, the eventual fourth runner-up, took home a preliminary talent award for her performance of "And I Am Telling You," from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, and Miss Lehi Dania Rice claimed a lifestyle and fitness award. On Thursday, Lukens won a lifestyle and fitness preliminary award, while Miss Utah County Hannah Harkness won the talent preliminary with her piano performance of "Flight of the Bumblebee."

During Friday's competition, Heaps, Saturday's third runner-up, took home a lifestyle and fitness preliminary award and Eyre, Saturday's first runner-up, won the talent award for her dance performance. Each preliminary award winner received a $100 scholarship. More than 700 young women competed in local Miss America-affiliated pageants throughout Utah this year, with the 48 titleholders raising $9,000 and donating some 1,100 hours of service to the Children's Miracle Network. These 48 young women also have dedicated a combined 19,000 hours of service and raised $456,000 to support their personal platforms.

From a Miss USA: The Difference Between Miss America & Miss USA

by Kristen Dalton Wolfe 

Editor’s Note: This is not a commentary on either winner pictured in the cover photo. This is strictly a commentary of the overall purpose of each organization.

One of the most commonly asked questions during my year as Miss USA was, “What is the difference between Miss USA & Miss America?” My pageant friends, whether competitors, supporters or friends/family in either program have experienced this question too and reasonably so. Over the years, I have noticed that rather than using this innocent question as an opportunity to empower women by highlighting the benefits of each program, it has served as a source of division. A defensive tone is taken while each party tries to prove that one program is better than the other. This past week, I spent 5 days judging the Miss NC America pageant. I competed in the program myself, so I was aware of the invaluable benefits and ideals it affords young women. But, as a former Miss USA that has been heavily involved in the Miss Universe Organization for years, this past week turned on a light switch. We are all in it for the same purpose. Although different, the ultimate goal of each program is to enrich the lives of young women. Why don’t we uplift and support each other?

I was so impressed with the Miss America program, especially how it operates in North Carolina. The calibre of young women blew me away. They are top of their classes, Student Body Presidents, published authors, internationally traveled performers and founders of organizations. I was judging the Teen program and was practically mind-blown by their sharp, intelligent, diplomatic, well-spoken interviews, which are conducted like a press-conference. I had to keep reminding myself that they were teenagers!

Each one of them are truly leaders of their generation and it is largely in part due to the empowering standards & ideals of the Miss America Organization that these women have learned the benefit of rising above the status quo. As I sat there conducting the interviews, I thought to myself, “I hope my daughter will look up to someone like her.”

I was impressed to learn that Miss South Carolina 2012 Ali Rogers, who judged alongside me earned $63,000 in scholarship money. The women who compete in the Miss America program win thousands of dollars in scholarship money, not only at the national and state levels, but at their local levels too. These women are able to further their educations, obtain Masters degrees and have the freedom to start their careers debt-free. Being surrounded primarily by Miss America enthusiasts for the week, many people wanted to know what the Miss Universe Organization is all about and what my experience as Miss USA was like. I excitedly explained that I got to live in New York City for a year, represent our country in the Miss Universe competition, had Donald Trump as my first boss out of college and traveled the nation speaking in schools. I was also privileged to raise awareness and funding for breast and ovarian cancer research and volunteering with the USO.

The prestige of the title led to great relationships and opportunities after the crown as well. A fantastic career has developed with a company I have been with for 5 years. I’ve been in several national commercials, Super Bowl commercials and have been the National LA Fitness Spokesmodel for the past two years. The interpersonal, mental strength and public speaking skills I gained have prepared me for my ultimate career goal, which is operating my own company and motivational speaking. Miss USA may have originated as a swimsuit competition and they may still place an emphasis on beauty in the actual competition, but the life skills gained in the preparation process and in the actual job of a titleholder are immeasurable and enriching. Ultimately, involvement in the organization can cultivate and lead to successful careers and financial independence for young women. Just look at Ali Landry, Shandi Finnessey, Rachel Smith, Susie Castillo and Kimberly Pressler. They are all incredibly intelligent, driven women. A common belief is that USA girls are pretty and America girls are smart. As a matter of fact, when I won Miss NC USA, someone said the answer I should give when asked the difference between the two is this:

“Miss America is the girl who lives next door, Miss USA is the girl you wish lived next door.”

I remember feeling so off-put by that off-putting definition. After this week, I whole-heartedly understand why. It is because at the end of the day, both Miss America and Miss USA are programs that promote and cultivate the empowerment and success of young women. They are both aiming to be relevant and fresh while being good role-models, so that young girls have someone truly honorable to emulate. Yes, each program has a different approach and thank goodness! They both provide an outlet for a wide range of young women to participate with their individual strengths, interests and career goals. Competitors in both organizations are beautiful and smart. Let’s make it black and white. Let’s stop saying beauty defines one and intelligence defines the other. Next time you are asked the difference between Miss America and Miss USA, here is a response that empowers both organizations:

Miss America is the leading provider of scholarships for women in the nation and Miss USA is a salary-based position that represents our nation at the Miss Universe competition. The preparation that goes into each competition fosters self-confidence, excellent communication skills, a resilience in regards to rejection and constructive criticism, drive, goal-setting, poise, self and global awareness.

I’ll end on this note. It was my platform title when I competed at Miss NC America: It was my platform title when I competed at Miss NC America:

United We Stand, Divided We Fall Behind.

Miss Florida crowned in St. Petersburg

By Mark Schlueb, Orlando Sentinel

A Leesburg woman was crowned Miss Florida Saturday night, earning her a spot in the Miss America pageant in September. Elizabeth Fechtel, a 20-year-old junior at the University of Florida, took the top spot after first being among the five finalists in the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant held at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg over the past several days.

Fechtel won a preliminary swimsuit competition on Wednesday, and danced to Pharrell Williams' song "Happy" in a preliminary talent competition. Fechtel, who is currently Miss University of Florida, graduated from First Academy-Leesburg and is majoring in political science with a minor in communications and entrepreneurship at UF. Among the other finalists was Miss Winter Park, Chloe Lupo. Arianna Beyer, 19, of Mount Dora, also competed.

Miss America system accounts for $45M in scholarships

source: The News Star

Developed by the Miss America Organization, the Miss America program exists to provide personal and professional opportunities for young women and to promote their voices in culture, politics and the community. The program provides a forum for today’s young women to express their viewpoints, talents and accomplishments to audiences during the telecast and to the public-at-large during the ensuing year. Almost all contestants have either received, or are in the process off earning, college or postgraduate degrees and use Miss America scholarship grants to further their educations. To become Miss America, a contestant must first win a local competition and then compete to represent her state. A woman may compete at the state level more than once, but may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. Thousands of women participate each year in the local and state events, culminating in the selection of 53 national finalists who vie for the Miss America title.

Tens of thousands of volunteers organize the local and state preliminary competitions, promoting community involvement throughout the United States and furthering scholarship and achievement among young women in their communities. The Miss America Organization has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to raise funds and awareness for children’s hospitals throughout the United States. Contestants competing in Miss America-sponsored competitions raise donations through appearances and fundraisers that benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Miss America Scholarship Fund. Last year, more than $10 million was raised. In addition, each new Miss America becomes the goodwill ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, speaking on behalf of kids treated at children’s hospitals and raising awareness around the country. It’s just another way the Miss America Organization helps young women leave a legacy of service, scholarship and support.

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation’s leading achievement programs and the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. Since 1997, Miss America participants nationwide have taken part in Make a Difference Day. Local and state titleholders, volunteers and Miss America make a difference through community service initiatives in conjunction with the Points of Light Foundation and USA Weekend. In 2000, state and local contestants collectively participated in 12,384 community-service projects, dedicating a total of 571,177 hours and raising millions of dollars.

Miss America vs. Miss USA: Rival pageants seen as similar

BY EMILY BECK COGBURN

In the longtime rivalry between the Miss USA and Miss America pageants, Miss USA is the flashy upstart while Miss America is the modest one with her head in a book. At least, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. The Miss America pageant started in 1921, the talent competition was added in 1935 and the first scholarship was given in 1945, according to the organization’s website. Miss USA began as a breakaway competition, begun by a swimsuit company in 1952 that had been a sponsor of the older pageant. “Competitors in the Miss America Pageant do it for scholarship money for college. They have diverse career interests,” says Valerie Hayes, who bills herself as the Pageant Coach and hosts an online talk radio program about pageants.

In contrast, Miss USA competitors see the pageant as a stepping stone to careers in the entertainment industry — in acting, modeling or broadcasting, she says. Miss USA is a subset of the Miss Universe contest, a for-profit organization owned by casino mogul Donald Trump and NBCUniverse. For the past six years, the pageant was held in Las Vegas until moving to Baton Rouge for the 2014 event. The Miss America Organization, which moved the pageant back to its historic Atlantic City, New Jersey, home last year, is a nonprofit and has connections to charities such as Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
“Since its inception, Miss USA has been unabashedly a beauty/swimsuit pageant. It hasn’t confused its identity by adding talent, making interview a main scoring component or offering educational scholarships — all of which Miss America did after it began. This has allowed the production to embrace the sex, show the women in skimpier bikinis, etc.,” says sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman, a beauty pageant expert. Do these contrasting approaches to pageantry lead to a different reaction from audiences? Not so much, says Hayes. Actually, viewers tend to confuse the two events.

“If someone tells me they watched a pageant last night, I’ll ask which one. If they don’t know, I’ll ask if it had a talent competition. If it did, then it’s Miss America,” Hayes says. “For most viewers, they’re not that different.” Pageant professionals and more experienced fans can distinguish the two, she added. Not surprisingly, the subtle contrast between the pageants has not resulted in much difference in viewership in recent years. Both are significantly down from Miss America’s heyday in the 1950s, when the show in 1952 drew 39 percent of the TV audience. Last year was an exception. Miss America dashed ahead of Miss USA, capturing around 8 million viewers, its best ratings since 2004, when the pageant last appeared on ABC. Miss USA had 4.6 million viewers on NBC, perhaps because it aired at the same time as the NBA finals, according to website zap2it.com, which analyzes Nielsen ratings. Previously, Miss America had looked to be on the rocks, with poor ratings prompting ABC to drop the show and the organization forced to move on to cable stations. Picked up by CMT in 2004, it faltered even more. “The production was abysmal,” Hayes says.

CMT also moved the pageant from its original home in Atlantic City to Los Angeles. The cable station then dropped the Miss America pageant in 2007, after which TLC decided to air it. While at TLC, the pageant’s ratings climbed back, rising to 4.5 million, up from 2 million to 3 million during its time at CMT. It returned to ABC in 2011.

Atlantic City unveils Miss America statue, plans for pageant

BY SUZANNE MARINO

ATLANTIC CITY – Plans for the 93rd Miss America pageant are gearing up – and Miss America Organization CEO Sam Haskell said Monday, April 28 on the boardwalk at Kennedy Plaza that the plan is to build on last year’s success and go bigger. He said the Miss America Show Us Your Shoes Parade, set for 5-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, will have many more free spaces available for families to come, set up their chairs, put down their blankets and make memories of their own. “When we spoke with our fans, the one thing that everyone loved and had great memories of was coming to Atlantic City with their family and watching the parade. We want people to have the chance to make memories of their own,” Haskell said. There will be a select few seats available for ticket holders, but the rest of the boardwalk will be for families and fans to cheer and enjoy the tradition of the parade. The parade will begin at Revel Casino and end at Albany Avenue. Performances will be at Kennedy Plaza in front of Boardwalk Hall.

The plan is to include more local groups, youths, choirs, dance groups, tumblers and gymnasts. Haskell said the 52 contestants will ride in convertibles along the parade route, something Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri described as one of the best events. “I don’t remember much about the crowning, but I remember everything about the parade and all of the people cheering along the parade route,” she said Monday. “It defined the real heart of the events leading up to the pageant that the contestants experienced. That is what makes Atlantic City and Miss America perfect together.” Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian was part of the festivities Monday. “Welcome back, Miss America. We love you,” he said. Standing in the shadow of Boardwalk Hall, the permanent Miss America statue was unveiled. Toms River sculptor Brian Hanlon talked about how honored he was to create a lasting tribute to Miss America. The statue unveiled in September 2013 was a resin cast of Hanlon’s work. The 6,000-pound bronze sculpture was unveiled Monday in front of fans and supporters of Miss America, including Davuluri and Miss America 1984 Suzette Charles. “This is a really important project for me. Not only is the statue something to decorate our landscape, but what it represents is so important,” Hanlon said. “The scholarship; I understand how hard so many people work to help change women’s lives.”

Hanlon said a panel featuring pictures of Charles and Bette Cooper, the only two Miss New Jerseys to win the crown, is an important part of the landscape in Kennedy Plaza. While Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan was a model for the stature, it also draws from other contestants, including Charles, Hanlon said. “We wanted a statue that would reflect who Miss America is,” he said. It is also meant to be fun, and the statue was an instant hit with everyone who walked by. They all wanted a picture of themselves being crowned.
The statue was the suggestion of local radio talk show Pinky Kravitz of Margate, according to Liza Cartmel of the Atlantic City Alliance. “Pinky was the brain that put the wheels in motion for the statue. The panels behind the statue help to celebrate the pageant’s Jersey roots,” she said. Kravitz called the finished statue a magnificent addition to Atlantic City and a popular spot for people to come for pictures. A kiosk near the statue will allow anyone to walk up and read about Miss America and its contestants throughout the 93-year history of the pageant. Charles, who was living in Mays Landing when she went from being the first runner-up to becoming Miss America, said she was feeling a lot of emotion as she looked around. Charles acknowledged that the pageant has changed over the years, but said it still does what it has done since its beginnings, and that is to support the dreams of women. “I think the pageant still represents the best in women,” she said.

Charles, who was accompanied by her daughter, Anna Pley, 18, said she was proud to be able to have her share of the experience in Atlantic City. Haskell announced that unlike last year when tickets to the pageant events went on sale several weeks before the parade, the website is up and running, and visitors can check out the events and make plans to attend the preliminary competitions or the live broadcast. Miss America will also do a live “20/20” airing the hour prior to the pageant broadcast on ABC.